Lonely Bay is considered a hidden gem in The Coromandel. Photo / Tim Roxborogh
This summer has treated the Coromandel well and there are still great things to come.
Local tourism organisation Destination Hauraki-Coromandel launched its summer campaign, the Coromandel Cure, in December, which was based on a new study that found the Coromandel to be good for people’s wellbeing.
The campaign is still going until the end of March, but interim results are looking promising.
Destination Hauraki-Coromandel’s marketing manager Megan Nunn said the campaign had seen some great engagement from local businesses and tourists so far.
“We are really happy with how it’s going. To date, the campaign generated over 7 million views.
“It’s a much better summer than last year... The conditions are different, the weather is great, we are very hopeful.”
There is indeed reason to be hopeful.
Apart from tourists and holidaymakers, the Hauraki-Coromandel area also hosted a number of big events this summer including the Coro Classic music festival, Wings and Wheels in Thames and the Paeroa Highland Games and Tattoo.
And there are still a few events to come, including Beach Hop and Taste of Matarangi.
SH25A is back in action as well and Waka Kotahi recently reported the road had seen traffic return to pre-Cyclone days.
Thames-Coromandel mayor Len Salt said SH25A has helped to get tourists back into the district.
“It’s been great to see international visitors back enjoying everything our district has to offer. It’s also great to see locals out and about and able to enjoy a wonderful summer, and support local businesses too.
“The opening of SH25A, cracking weather and the people involved in the recovery work have all played a part in this. It’s been a fantastic lift for the entire district and especially a much-needed boost for our businesses, who struggled all through 2023.”
The latest visitor data from Marketview shows that visitors are back and supporting the Coromandel economy: Visitor spending in December doubled from November, thanks to domestic tourists.
The total visitor spending in the district for December was $40.8 million, 85 per cent of this ($35 million) came from domestic visitors.
However, the overall spending is down compared to 2022.
Destination Hauraki Coromandel general manager Hadley Dryden previously said he felt like the recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle had truly begun, however, the region was not anticipating a record summer.
“There is still work to do to build back our reputation.”
That’s where the Coromandel Cure came into play. Nunn said the campaign had been a world first.
“The Coromandel has always claimed to be good for your soul – but now that claim has been scientifically proven.”
A research trial, conducted by consumer researcher, Dr Karen V Fernandez, monitored the heart rate, happiness, sleep and stress levels of a group of participants, while they spent 48 hours in the Coromandel.
Dr Fernandez said the data showed increased feelings of happiness and wellness.
“Results showed an overwhelming improvement in feelings of happiness (up 67 per cent) and a 65 per cent increase in wellness.
“The results confirmed that even a short getaway to the region resulted in a significant reduction in stress and anxiety levels (33 per cent decrease), while participants also reported feeling twice as relaxed... after their trip.”
Study participant Becca Goldsworthy said it was the best medical test she ever had.
“Instead of a study where you’re popping pills or sat in a room for observation, I got to experience the Coromandel and enjoy a much-needed break. I didn’t actually realise how much I needed it until I saw my results – I’d had a 28 per cent reduction in stress.”
The campaign also features some tongue-in-cheek “side effects” like interesting tan lines, increase in thoughts to move here, best Tinder pics and sand in hard-to-reach places.
Nunn said while the campaign was for a limited time, she hoped the Coromandel Cure had positive long-term effects.
Danielle Zollickhofer is a multimedia journalist and assistant news director at the Waikato Herald. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.
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